News Article

‘Bicycle Lanes Have Devastating WW2 Impact on London’

LONDON, UK – The rather remarkable (to say the least!) statement that the construction of bicycle lanes is, “doing more damage to London than almost anything since the Blitz,” was recently expressed in a debate in British parliament.

Recently, in a debate in British parliament, some members of the House of Lords said that not motoring is responsible for London's polluted air but cycling. – Photo Bike Europe

As reported by Bike Biz Lord Nigel Lawson said this in a recent debate about Transport for London. He is a former chancellor of the exchequer and a reputed leading climate-change denier. Lawson made his statement in a reaction on a likewise comment by his Conservative peer Lord Higgins. He blamed not motoring for London’s polluted air but cycling. He said the “appalling increases in congestion and pollution” were “caused by the introduction of bicycle lanes.”

Cycling doing damage

This weird comment triggered Lord Lawson to say, “My Lords, we all know the Mayor of London’s addiction to cycling, but is my noble friend Lord Higgins not absolutely right that what is happening now has done more damage, and is doing more damage, to London than almost anything since the Blitz?”

Different dimension

Lord Lawson furthered with the suggestion that cycling was also “hugely age discriminatory. There is a huge section of the population of a certain age, well represented in this House – I declare an interest – for whom cycling is not a practical option.”

Clearly Lord Lawson lives in a different dimension than his compatriots or fellow Europeans of which many of the same age of Lord Lawson already have experienced or are experiencing the convenience of e-bikes.